Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T19:18:51.776Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Volcanogenic sediments of the East Kirkton Limestone (Viséan) of West Lothian, Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

Graham P. Durant
Graham P. Durant
Affiliation:
Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Volcanogenic sediments form a significant part of the East Kirkton Limestone, with thin tuff units occurring at several levels and pyroclastic fragments being an important constituent of the coarser clastic limestone units.

The tuffs have been extensively altered during diagenesis but recognisable pseudomorphs after olivine and plagioclase phenocrysts confirm the basaltic nature of the volcanism. The considerable lateral variations in thickness of the tuff horizons in conjunction with the poorly sorted and lithologically heterogeneous nature of the tuffs indicate an epiclastic origin for the volcanogenic sediments. Well-rounded volcanic rock fragments—products of erosion—occur with angular fragments within the tuffs. Blocky tuffs in the lower part of the formation contain charred wood fragments, rip-up clasts of limestone and disarticulated amphibian bones. Graded bedding at several horizons and the presence of ostracods within some tuffs confirms subaqueous deposition.

The findings are consistent with the usual, dominantly epiclastic products of basaltic volcanism, in an equatorial, continental, humid environment, with assorted debris being washed from the flanks of a volcano into a shallow lake.

Keywords

East KirktonScotlandvolcanogenic sedimentslimestonetuffsdiagenesis
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 84 , Issue 3-4: Volcanism and early terrestrial biotas , 1993 , pp. 203 - 207
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cadell, H. M. 1925. The rocks of West Lothian. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 390pp.Google Scholar
Cas, R. A. F. & Wright, J. V. 1987. Volcanic successions modern and ancient. London: Allen and Unwin, 487pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crandell, D. R. & Waldron, H. H. 1956. A recent volcanic mudflow of exceptional dimensions from Mount Rainier, Washington. AM J SCI 254, 349–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, R. V. & Schmincke, H.-U. 1984. Pyroclastic rocks. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 448pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Francis, E. H. 1983a. Carboniferous—Permian igneous rocks. In Craig, G. Y. (Ed.) Geology of Scotland (2nd edn), p. 297–342. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.Google Scholar
Francis, E. H. 1983b. Magma and sediment, II. Problems of interpreting palaeovolcanics buried in the stratigraphic column. J GEOL SOC LONDON 140, 165–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geikie, A. 1861. In Howell, H. H. & Geikie, A. The geology of the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. MEM GEOL SURV GR BRIT pp. 1–151.Google Scholar
Hibbert, S. 1836. On the fresh-water limestone of Burdiehouse. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH 13, 169–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lajoie, J. 1984. Volcaniclastic rocks. In Walker, R. G. Facies Models. GEOSCI CANADA REPR SER 1, GEOL ASSOC CANADA 39–52.Google Scholar
Mullineaux, D. R. & Crandell, D. R. 1962. Recent lahars from Mount St Helens, Washington. GEOL SOC AM BULL 73, 855–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muir, R. O. & Walton, E. K. 1957. The East Kirkton Limestone. TRANS GEOL SOC GLASGOW 12, 157–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parnell, J. 1988. Lacustrine petroleum source rocks in the Dinantian Oil Shale Group, Scotland: a review. In Fleet, A. J., Kelts, K. & Talbot, M. R. (Eds) Lacustrine Petroleum Source Rocks. GEOL SOC SPECIAL PUBL 40, 235–46.Google Scholar
Rolfe, W. D. I., Durant, G. P., Fallick, A. E., Hall, A. J., Large, D. J., Scott, A. C., Smithson, T. R. & Walkden, G., 1990. An early terrestrial biota preserved by Viséan vulcanicity in Scotland. In Lockley, M. G. & Rice, A. (Eds) Volcanism and fossil biotas. GEOL SOC AM SPEC PAP 244.Google Scholar
Rolfe, W. D. I., Durant, G. P., Baird, W. J., Chaplin, C., Paton, R. L. & Reekie, R. J. 1994. The East Kirkton Limestone, Viséan, West Lothian, Scotland: introduction and stratigraphy. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH: EARTH SCI 84, 177–188.Google Scholar
Smith, R. A., Stevenson, D. & Monro, S. K. 1994. The geological setting of the South Bathgate Hills, West Lothian, Scotland. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH: EARTH SCI 84, 189–196.Google Scholar
Suthren, R. 1985. Facies analysis of volcaniclastic sediments: a review. In Brenchley, P. J. & Williams, B. P. J.Sedimentology: recent developments and applied aspects. GEOL SOC SPECIAL PUBL 18, 123–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Upton, B. G. J. 1982. Carboniferous to Permian volcanism in the stable foreland. In Sutherland, D. S. (Ed.) Igneous rocks of the British Isles pp. 255–275. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.Google Scholar
Upton, B. G. J. 1994. Regional setting of Carboniferous volcanism in the Midland Valley of Scotland. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH: EARTH SCI 84, 209–212.Google Scholar
Wright, J. V., Smith, A. L. & Self, S. 1980. A working terminology of pyroclastic deposits. J VOLCANOL GEOTHERM RES 8, 315–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar